Ice Cream Planet
AV Clubber 
I get glimpses of the horror of normalcy.
Posts: 3,833 
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Post by Ice Cream Planet on May 23, 2016 15:31:48 GMT -5
Ice Cream Planet All my problems seemed to be with directing choices—the story was fine, the direction was overwrought. THat said looking back at The Dissolve’s review of The Two Faces of January it looks like a lot of the same problems popped up there, so maybe not. It could be that despite his love of the genre, Amini isn't the best at adapting thrillers (I have yet to read The Two Faces of January or see the film, and since I loved Drive, I personally think he's fine, but to each their own). Obviously, I think it's telling the most prestigious awards he has been nominated for were for an adaptation of a Henry James novel. It certainly says something about his talents (frankly, I thought the film was better than the book!). |
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Post by Roy Batty's Pet Dove on May 23, 2016 22:44:27 GMT -5
Moonrise Kingdom (2012) - This was my first Wes Anderson movie, and I really loved it. His distinctive visual style is pretty striking and fits perfectly with the weird humor of the film, the precociousness of the protagonists, and the opening educational record about the different parts of a symphony. Everything is brilliantly and creatively compartmentalized, from the moments where individual instruments get to play the main theme of the composition, to the different rooms of the house, to the animals in the Noah's ark pageant. I was also surprised at how funny and subtle Bruce Willis was; I tend to associate his characters with virulently jingoistic things like shrieking barely coherent things like "Do you think I understand a word you're saying!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?" at a Russian guy for yelling at him in Russian while Willis as John McClane is carjacking said guy's car, so it's interesting to be reminded every once in a while that he's occasionally in things that aren't complete shit. Oh, yeah, and the leads and Swinton and Norton and Murray and McDormand were all good as well, but none of them starred in the Die Hard sequels, so it wasn't a surprise that they were good. A
Metropolis (1927) - I haven't honestly seen a lot of silent films, and I'm not a huge fan of what seems like a lack of subtlety in a lot of the performances (I really do not get what's so great about Charlie Chaplin, for instance), but I thought Metropolis was quite good, at least. I can see why it would have been seen as pretty groundbreaking at the time, even if there's a lot of stuff that seems really cliched these days. Brigitte Helm did a good job as Maria/Evil Robot Maria, particularly in making the two clearly and meaningfully different, I thought. Alfred Abel was good as Joh Fredersen, in that he never really seems to be over-acting. I thought Gustav Frolich wa pretty as Freder, in believably depicting his evolution from pampered, spoiled, and easily overwhelmed, to more of a suitable hero, although his performance seemed to lack the subtlety of Helm's and Abel's. I also thought the way that the film utilized Biblical stories to its own ends was pretty interesting, and the film's message is laudible, albeit pretty lacking in nuance, and I don't think I can fully get over said lack of nuance. I liked it quite a bit, though. A-
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repulsionist
TI Forumite
actively disinterested
Posts: 3,690
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Post by repulsionist on May 24, 2016 10:48:25 GMT -5
21-87 (1965)
Arthur Lipsett from up the Great White North devised sound collage and film clips run together that gave George Lucas enough reason to name his Finn Stormtropper FN-2187. Thanks NWW List!
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Ice Cream Planet
AV Clubber
I get glimpses of the horror of normalcy.
Posts: 3,833
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Post by Ice Cream Planet on May 26, 2016 16:27:46 GMT -5
Heaven
A peculiar, beautifully film and splendidly acted revenge thriller/sentimental romance, directed by Tom Twyker and starring Cate Blanchett and Giovanni Ribisi. Not a great film, but more thoughtful and beautiful than I had expected. It's a rare revenge thrill;er that actually ponders the consequences of revenge beyond the obligatory 'Am I bad? Nah' scene in too many films of the genre.
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Post by Mindymoo, Human Bradypus on May 26, 2016 17:28:46 GMT -5
The Great Dictator (1940). I had just seen it last week, but because of the death of my beloved aunt, I really needed a pick-me-up, and Chaplin was it. I love this film so much. It's so funny, moving and beautiful. I absolutely love the ending where it's basically Charlie Chaplin breaking the fourth wall and pleading for peace in the world. It's a speech that I think everyone needs to hear on a regular basis. Also, Chaplin had some serious testicular fortitude to make that movie when he made it, a year before the US even got involved in WWII, where they were mentioning ghettos, death camps, and stormtroopers. I believe he was one of only two filmmakers to go there in their films during that time. He spoke a much needed truth in that film. I also love the silent film-era stunts that he pulls in it, even though it's a talkie. Ugh, I love that movie to pieces. Chaplin was an absolute genius.
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Post by Return of the Thin Olive Duke on May 26, 2016 19:20:27 GMT -5
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
Bratz (2007)
Stardust (2007)
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)
And all this time, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry has been at the top of my queue for two fucking weeks with "very long wait."
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Post by Return of the Thin Olive Duke on May 26, 2016 19:29:10 GMT -5
The Great Dictator (1940). I had just seen it last week, but because of the death of my beloved aunt, I really needed a pick-me-up, and Chaplin was it. I love this film so much. It's so funny, moving and beautiful. I absolutely love the ending where it's basically Charlie Chaplin breaking the fourth wall and pleading for peace in the world. It's a speech that I think everyone needs to hear on a regular basis. Also, Chaplin had some serious testicular fortitude to make that movie when he made it, a year before the US even got involved in WWII, where they were mentioning ghettos, death camps, and stormtroopers. I believe he was one of only two filmmakers to go there in their films during that time. He spoke a much needed truth in that film. I also love the silent film-era stunts that he pulls in it, even though it's a talkie. Ugh, I love that movie to pieces. Chaplin was an absolute genius. The revisionist history that we had no thought of war until Pearl Harbor is a severe hypercorrection. Even before the outbreak of war in Europe, Americans expected WWII to happen. Consider 1938: May 26– House Un-American Activities Committee formed to expose American Nazis (really, that's what it was originally for). October 30– Orson Welles punks America, who think the invading "aliens" are actually invading Germans. November 9-10– Kristallnacht scandalizes the western world, in spite of its passive antisemitism. We started building up the military in 1939, and instituted the draft in 1940. So yeah, while the United States in general was instinctively opposed to war without provocation, antipathy towards Nazi Germany and the expectation of war were both widespread and years in the making, so the audience of the time would've been right at home with The Great Dictator. The miracle is that Chaplin was up to the challenge. Most filmmakers weren't and aren't. |
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Post by MrsLangdonAlger on May 26, 2016 19:43:34 GMT -5
In a Valley of Violence
So much fun, and even though Ti West let the audience know beforehand (this was a screening at the Chicago Critics Film Festival and he was there for a Q&A) that it wasn't a horror movie*, he did manage to add one very scary scene in there. I loved how it combined typical western tropes and amplified them, for comedic and dramatic effect. There were also just some plain gorgeous shots in there. I have a feeling this will come out in October to very mixed reviews, but I loved it and can't wait to see it again when it hits wide release.
However, animal lovers may have trouble with this one.
*West said during the Q&A that he doesn't plan to do more horror movies. It broke my heart.
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Post by Mindymoo, Human Bradypus on May 26, 2016 20:15:55 GMT -5
The Great Dictator (1940). I had just seen it last week, but because of the death of my beloved aunt, I really needed a pick-me-up, and Chaplin was it. I love this film so much. It's so funny, moving and beautiful. I absolutely love the ending where it's basically Charlie Chaplin breaking the fourth wall and pleading for peace in the world. It's a speech that I think everyone needs to hear on a regular basis. Also, Chaplin had some serious testicular fortitude to make that movie when he made it, a year before the US even got involved in WWII, where they were mentioning ghettos, death camps, and stormtroopers. I believe he was one of only two filmmakers to go there in their films during that time. He spoke a much needed truth in that film. I also love the silent film-era stunts that he pulls in it, even though it's a talkie. Ugh, I love that movie to pieces. Chaplin was an absolute genius. The revisionist history that we had no thought of war until Pearl Harbor is a severe hypercorrection. Even before the outbreak of war in Europe, Americans expected WWII to happen. Consider 1938: May 26– House Un-American Activities Committee formed to expose American Nazis (really, that's what it was originally for). October 30– Orson Welles punks America, who think the invading "aliens" are actually invading Germans. November 9-10– Kristallnacht scandalizes the western world, in spite of its passive antisemitism. We started building up the military in 1939, and instituted the draft in 1940. So yeah, while the United States in general was instinctively opposed to war without provocation, antipathy towards Nazi Germany and the expectation of war were both widespread and years in the making, so the audience of the time would've been right at home with The Great Dictator. The miracle is that Chaplin was up to the challenge. Most filmmakers weren't and aren't. Oh, I know this. War was on everyone's mind, we were just waiting for a provocation. Like I said, Charlie Chaplin had brass balls to make that film when he made it, before we even got involved with troops on the ground. And then people still condemned the film, saying the speech at the end was too preachy and whiny. It's the most affecting part of the film, if you ask me. |
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Post by Return of the Thin Olive Duke on May 26, 2016 22:45:42 GMT -5
The revisionist history that we had no thought of war until Pearl Harbor is a severe hypercorrection. Even before the outbreak of war in Europe, Americans expected WWII to happen. Consider 1938: May 26– House Un-American Activities Committee formed to expose American Nazis (really, that's what it was originally for). October 30– Orson Welles punks America, who think the invading "aliens" are actually invading Germans. November 9-10– Kristallnacht scandalizes the western world, in spite of its passive antisemitism. We started building up the military in 1939, and instituted the draft in 1940. So yeah, while the United States in general was instinctively opposed to war without provocation, antipathy towards Nazi Germany and the expectation of war were both widespread and years in the making, so the audience of the time would've been right at home with The Great Dictator. The miracle is that Chaplin was up to the challenge. Most filmmakers weren't and aren't. Oh, I know this. War was on everyone's mind, we were just waiting for a provocation. Like I said, Charlie Chaplin had brass balls to make that film when he made it, before we even got involved with troops on the ground. And then people still condemned the film, saying the speech at the end was too preachy and whiny. It's the most affecting part of the film, if you ask me. A couple weeks ago I was looking up the Hays Code to see what it actually said. Most of the stuff we know about it isn't actually in there, but one thing I did notice was that the Hays Code prohibited the insult of foreign leaders. Considering that the code was implemented in 1934, at the behest of the Catholic League, I am almost certain that the rule was included to prevent Hollywood from insulting Hitler. That's a hell of a thing, isn't it? |
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Post by Mindymoo, Human Bradypus on May 27, 2016 2:46:51 GMT -5
Oh, I know this. War was on everyone's mind, we were just waiting for a provocation. Like I said, Charlie Chaplin had brass balls to make that film when he made it, before we even got involved with troops on the ground. And then people still condemned the film, saying the speech at the end was too preachy and whiny. It's the most affecting part of the film, if you ask me. A couple weeks ago I was looking up the Hays Code to see what it actually said. Most of the stuff we know about it isn't actually in there, but one thing I did notice was that the Hays Code prohibited the insult of foreign leaders. Considering that the code was implemented in 1934, at the behest of the Catholic League, I am almost certain that the rule was included to prevent Hollywood from insulting Hitler. That's a hell of a thing, isn't it? Interesting. That assertion... I can't say I disagree with it. So Chaplin getting around it by calling Hitler Adenoid Hynkel and Germany "Tomainia" was an especially genius move on his part. I mean, we have to remember that Pope Pius didn't condemn Hitler and actually helped a lot of Nazis escape and get new identities. There was also the kidnapping of Jewish children by the Catholic church and forced conversion to Catholicism, and refusal to return them to their surviving family members even after the war was over. This is actually part of the reason my one aunt left the convent and converted to Judaism. She was so disgusted by learning all of that. |
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Post by Return of the Thin Olive Duke on May 27, 2016 3:04:50 GMT -5
A couple weeks ago I was looking up the Hays Code to see what it actually said. Most of the stuff we know about it isn't actually in there, but one thing I did notice was that the Hays Code prohibited the insult of foreign leaders. Considering that the code was implemented in 1934, at the behest of the Catholic League, I am almost certain that the rule was included to prevent Hollywood from insulting Hitler. That's a hell of a thing, isn't it? Interesting. That assertion... I can't say I disagree with it. So Chaplin getting around it by calling Hitler Adenoid Hynkel and Germany "Tomainia" was an especially genius move on his part. I mean, we have to remember that Pope Pius didn't condemn Hitler and actually helped a lot of Nazis escape and get new identities. There was also the kidnapping of Jewish children by the Catholic church and forced conversion to Catholicism, and refusal to return them to their surviving family members even after the war was over. This is actually part of the reason my one aunt left the convent and converted to Judaism. She was so disgusted by learning all of that. I went to Catholic school and learned absolutely none of that. They said Pius XII was anti-Hitler. |
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Post by Mindymoo, Human Bradypus on May 27, 2016 3:16:16 GMT -5
Interesting. That assertion... I can't say I disagree with it. So Chaplin getting around it by calling Hitler Adenoid Hynkel and Germany "Tomainia" was an especially genius move on his part. I mean, we have to remember that Pope Pius didn't condemn Hitler and actually helped a lot of Nazis escape and get new identities. There was also the kidnapping of Jewish children by the Catholic church and forced conversion to Catholicism, and refusal to return them to their surviving family members even after the war was over. This is actually part of the reason my one aunt left the convent and converted to Judaism. She was so disgusted by learning all of that. I went to Catholic school and learned absolutely none of that. They said Pius XII was anti-Hitler. Well of course they did, you went to a Catholic school. I went to a Catholic school for K-7 too and heard the same tales. But having grandparents that survived concentration camps in Poland and family that lived through that shit, they told us what was up, and then a lot of it started coming out, bit by bit, since the 1960s. |
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Post by Stuffed Salvador on May 27, 2016 14:17:11 GMT -5
Why does The Iron Giant always make me cry?
Fuck this movie.
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Dellarigg
AV Clubber
This is a public service announcement - with guitars
Posts: 7,638
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Post by Dellarigg on May 27, 2016 16:16:33 GMT -5
MartyrsAn insane and unpleasant idea, carried through with conviction. There's something agreeaby sinister, I find, about secret cabals of malevolent olds; see also Rosemary's Baby Not sure I liked it, however.
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Post by Return of the Thin Olive Duke on May 27, 2016 16:49:28 GMT -5
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Post by rimjobflashmob on May 27, 2016 18:10:16 GMT -5
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Post by starforge on May 28, 2016 1:43:44 GMT -5
Star Trek Into Darkness is absolute garbage. 2009 was fun and exciting if less than cerebral. Into Darkness is a writhing mass of plotlines going nowhere and a 9/11 overtone that smacks grossly of Michael Bay. The imagery alone is a Truther jerkoff.
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Post by Mindymoo, Human Bradypus on May 28, 2016 14:03:44 GMT -5
I watched Cronenberg's The Brood last night. I hadn't seen it before, and is probably my favorite of the few Cronenberg films I've seen so far. It had Oliver Reed, who I just watched last week in the always magnificent Tommy, playing yet another devious character.
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Post by Stuffed Salvador on May 28, 2016 23:39:11 GMT -5
I'm watching The Intern. It has some problems but it's actually kind of adorable in a breezy I just want to unwind at the end of the day and watch something fun kind of way.
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repulsionist
TI Forumite
actively disinterested
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Post by repulsionist on May 29, 2016 18:00:07 GMT -5
Plunder Road (1957)
[Shakes fist at Donald E Westlake]
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Post by Stuffed Salvador on May 29, 2016 22:13:18 GMT -5
Running for her Life
New Lifetime movie that premiered today. It's about a triathlete who starts going to a hypnotherapist trainer who ends up brainwashing her into wanting to leave her husband for her. I usually tire of these thrillers where the villain is evil just because she's lesbian, but this was such trashy fun and I was laughing throughout so I can forgive it.
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Post by songstarliner on May 29, 2016 23:46:36 GMT -5
Plunder Road (1957) [Shakes fist at Donald E Westlake] I honestly don't know what any of this this means, but I love it just the same *doesn't google* |
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Post by Ben Grimm on May 30, 2016 6:33:58 GMT -5
Plunder Road (1957) [Shakes fist at Donald E Westlake] I honestly don't know what any of this this means, but I love it just the same *doesn't google* I was thinking the same thing. I can't figure out what Westlake has to do with that movie. |
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repulsionist
TI Forumite
actively disinterested
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Post by repulsionist on May 30, 2016 10:05:54 GMT -5
I honestly don't know what any of this this means, but I love it just the same *doesn't google* I was thinking the same thing. I can't figure out what Westlake has to do with that movie. Watching Plunder Road revealed to me in my mild inebriation that this film script is the template for all the Parker novels. Some Dortmunder elements also. Grofeld too. I hold Westlake in high regard as a thriller writer, comic caper writer, etc. Not crestfallen. More like "Eureka! You magnificent bastard.." |
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Post by The Thanksgiving Goblin. on May 30, 2016 10:28:59 GMT -5
Warcraft.
More like War-crap.
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Post by Floyd Dinnertime Barber on May 30, 2016 19:04:25 GMT -5
Just saw "X-Men: Apocalypse Now". It lacked a much needed Robert Duvall cameo (" I love the smell of mutants in the morning") but I liked it better than "Captain America: Civil War". Since I haven't read an X-Men comic since about 1972, the timeline and character line-up in the movies makes no sense to me whatsoever, but I've just let that go. I thought XMA had better character development and more much needed humor than CA:CW. One thing bothered me just a little. While the "Return of the Jedi" tie in was relatively unobtrusive, I thought the "angry birds" tie in was in poor taste. |
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Post by Return of the Thin Olive Duke on May 30, 2016 21:48:22 GMT -5
The Nice Guys
Funny, violent, and cool. I love the attention to period detail (CGI smog, most skyscrapers are missing, wrecked Hollywood sign); they even managed to turn Minnie's 2008-vintage apartment building into something resembling a factory or warehouse. Crowe and Gosling are both great; the girl is great, the jokes are great.
Better than Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. There, I said it.
Go see it this week because it is flopping hard and will be gone by Friday, and Shane Black will never direct again.
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Post by ganews on May 30, 2016 23:57:52 GMT -5
HBO's depiction of LBJ's first term, All the Way. Completely brilliant. Just look at this cast list:
Bryan Cranston as Lyndon B. Johnson
Anthony Mackie as Martin Luther King, Jr.
Melissa Leo as Lady Bird Johnson
Bradley Whitford as Hubert Humphrey
Stephen Root as J. Edgar Hoover
and Frank Langella as Sen. Richard Russel, Georgia Dixiecrat and namesake of so much of the University of Georgia campus.
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Post by The Stuffingtacular She-Hulk on May 31, 2016 10:40:59 GMT -5
I saw X-Men: Apocalypse on Thursday with some friends and honestly really enjoyed it. It was by no means perfect - like, the whole Moira thing, and Magneto's arc was kinda underbaked - but I had a fun time. I think I liked it more than Captain America: Civil War.
Could've used some more Jubilee, though. *ducks* C'mon, I'm a 90s kid!
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